Setting the stage for a possible showdown with the opposition parties that won last month's general election, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has summoned the first meeting of new Parliament on March 17.
Apart from the National Assembly -- the lower house of Parliament, the president summoned the new provincial assemblies to meet on March 17, officials said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro had on Monday signed a document regarding the summoning of the assemblies and sent it to Musharraf for final approval.
The announcement on convening of new Parliament came two days after Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif clinched a deal on formation of a coalition government.
Both parties had won the February 18 parliamentary polls, handing down a crushing defeat to pro-Musharraf ruling PML-Q.
PPP and PML-N also agreed to reinstate the judges sacked by Musharraf during last year's emergency within a month of assuming power.
Pushed to the backfoot after the PPP-PML-N decided to reinstate deposed judges.
Musharraf on Monday said relations with the new government would be "cordial" and asked the parties to "avoid confrontations" with state institutions.
